A tragic medical emergency unfolded aboard the 12602 Mangaluru–Chennai Mail on Saturday, claiming a traveller’s life despite a rapid, determined rescue attempt by the Railway Protection Force.
At 1:35 p.m., fellow riders in the unreserved coach flagged down staff when the unnamed passenger collapsed, showing classic cardiac‑arrest symptoms. Responding in minutes, Inspector Manoj Kumar Yadav and his squad lifted the stricken man onto the platform at Mangaluru Junction, launched cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and delivered mouth‑to‑mouth breaths while summoning an ambulance.
The team then escorted him to Government Wenlock Hospital, maintaining chest compressions en route. Physicians continued advanced life‑support protocols, but at 4 p.m. doctors declared the patient deceased, citing a massive myocardial infarction.
RPF officers expressed sorrow yet affirmed their duty: “We treat every commuter as family and deploy every skill at our disposal.” Witnesses lauded their composure: commuters reported a “human chain” clearing corridors so rescuers could work unhindered, and railway control relayed live updates to hospital staff to shave off crucial minutes.
Authorities are now finalising identification and informing next of kin; routine inquest procedures are under way. Meanwhile, rail officials urged passengers with pre‑existing heart conditions to carry medical records and emergency contacts, noting that trains and major stations now stock automated external defibrillators under Indian Railways’ health‑safety initiative.
Although the outcome proved fatal, the episode spotlighted frontline responders’ commitment and underscored the importance of bystander alerts, immediate CPR, and seamless station‑to‑hospital coordination.
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